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LITTLE BEAR 
AT WORK AND AT PLAY 


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Page 1 6 

Little Bear walked up and shook hands with Grandpa Tortoise 


LITTLE BEAR 

AT WORK AND AT PLAY 


By 

FRANCES MARGARET FOX 


Author of “Doings of Little Bear” “Adventures of Sonny Bear” 
and “ The Kinder kins” 


Illustrated by 

WARNER CARR 



RAND McNALLY & COMPANY 

CHICAGO NEW YORK 



■b 


x« 


3 


Copyright , 1920, by 

Rand McNally & Company 





©CI.A597836 


^ 18 1920 


A-20 


Lovingly dedicated to the 

FIRST GIRLS 

Who lived in the Martha Cook Dormitory , 
Ann Arbor, Michigan, because they loved 

LITTLE BEAR 






CONTENTS 

PAGE 

When Little Bear Bragged 11 

When Mother Skunk Helped Little Bear .... 17 

When Little Bear Would Not Work 21 

How Little Bear Learned to Swim 26 

Little Bear and the Lost Otter Baby 33 

When Little Bear Visited School 40 

Little Bear Gets His Wish 47 

Three Bears Come to Breakfast 55 

Little Bear’s Promise 59 

Little Bear’s Surprise Party 65 


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

Thanks are extended to the Youth's Companion for permission to 
reprint the following stories: “When Little Bear Bragged,” “When 
Mother Skunk Helped Little Bear,” “When Little Bear Would Not 
Work,” “How Little Bear Learned to Swim,” “Little Bear and the Lost 
Otter Baby,” “When Little Bear Visited School,” “Little Bear Gets 
His Wish,” and “Little Bear’s Surprise Party”; and to the Christian 
Observer for permission to reprint the following stories: “Three Bears 
Come to Breakfast” and “Little Bear’s Promise.” 




Between times Little 


Bear asked questions 






LITTLE BEAR 
AT WORK AND AT PLAY 

WHEN LITTLE BEAR BRAGGED 

One rainy day the three bears were sitting by the fire 
in their comfortable house in the woods, telling stories. 
First Father Bear would tell a story, and then Mother 
Bear would tell a story, and then Father Bear would 
have a turn again. Between times Little Bear asked 
questions. 

The three were happy and merry until Mother Bear 
told the old story about the race between the hare and 
the tortoise, and how the slow-going tortoise was the 
first to reach the goal because the hare took a nap and 
did not wake up until after the tortoise had passed him 
and had won the race. 

"You see,” Mother Bear explained, "the hare was so 
sure he could win that he did not even try to reach the 
goal quickly. He was so swift-footed that he thought 
he could go to sleep if he chose and still come out ahead 
of the patient tortoise.” 


11 


12 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 


“Wasn’t he silly!” exclaimed Little Bear. “ If I were 
going to run a race with Grandpa Tortoise, I should go 
this way until I reached the goal!” And Little Bear 
pranced up and down the room until he made even the 
porridge bowls rattle in the cupboard. “ I guess I should 
know enough to know that Grandpa Tortoise would 
keep stepping ahead and stepping ahead and get to 
the goal in time! You would not catch me taking any 
naps if I started out to run a race with anyone! No, 
sir-ree!” 

Mother Bear laughed heartily, but Father Bear looked 
very solemn. He did not like to hear Little Bear brag 
at all. 

“So you think, Son Bear,” said he, “that, if you 
should run a race with Grandpa Tortoise, you would be 
wiser than our old friend, Peter Hare? Is that what 
you mean?” 

“I know I should,” bragged Little Bear. “I’d say, 
‘Good-by, Grandpa Tortoise!’ and off I’d start, and I 
should beat him before he had time to think. Then, 
afterward, if I were sleepy and wanted to, I should take 
a nap.” 

• “Very well,” said Father Bear, “I shall see Grandpa 
Tortoise, and if he is willing to run a race with a silly 


WHEN LITTLE BEAR BRAGGED 


13 


little fellow like you, you shall have your chance, and 
Peter Hare shall be the judge.” 

So it came about that, when the rain was over, the 
friends of the Three Bears and of the hare and the 
tortoise met in the woods to see the fun. 

Little Bear noticed that, before the race began, the 
hare and the tortoise were laughing about something, 
but he did not even wonder what it was. He had nothing 
to worry about. 

At last the word was given: “One, two, three, go!” 



He was out of breath before he had passed the first oak tree 

Away went the tortoise, slow and easy. Off started ' 
Little Bear, running so fast that he was out of breath 
before he had passed the first oak tree, and was glad to 
stop a second and have a drink of dew from an acorn cup 
that Friend Treetoad offered him. 


14 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 

“Thank you,” remarked Little Bear, as he returned 
the cup, “but that was not enough. I shall have to step 
over to the spring.” 

“Remember how the hare lost the race,” Friend 
Treetoad warned him. 

“Oh, I shall not go to sleep,” answered Little Bear, 
“and, really, Grandpa Tortoise walks slower than I 
thought he did.” 

Beside the spring were a number of Little Bear's 
old friends dressed in green satin coats, who were playing 
leapfrog. They asked Little Bear to play with them, 
and soon he was showing the frogs what long leaps he 
could make. And then, in a little while, many baby 
rabbits came and joined in the fun. The next that Little 
Bear knew, he was chasing baby rabbits over the rocks 
and catching nuts that the squirrels threw to him from 
the tree tops and having a joyful playtime. 

An hour passed quickly, and then Little Bear suddenly 
remembered that he had started out to run a race. 
Back he ran to the path and away he flew toward the 
goal, while the baby rabbits laughed and danced and 
danced and laughed. Father Bear had sent them to 
play with Little Bear, but they did not know why he 
had sent them until that minute. 


Grandpa Tortoise had reached his goal 





16 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 


Stepping along, stepping along, slowly but surely, 
Grandpa Tortoise had reached the goal, just as he had in 
the long-ago day when he ran the race with the hare. 
Little Bear, as he came near the goal, heard the neigh- 
bors shouting, “Hurrah for the champion! Hurrah 
for the champion! Hurrah for Grandpa Tortoise !” 
Even Father Bear was shouting. 

Little Bear remembered his manners and, as his 
father had told him what to do if he lost the race, straight- 
way walked up and shook hands with Grandpa Tortoise. 
And the hare, although he must have been laughing in 
his sleeve, remembered his manners, too, and did not 
let anyone see him laugh. 

After that the old friends and neighbors went home 
with the Three Bears to eat blackberries and honey and 
to tell stories round the fire. Grandpa Tortoise went, 
too. He had traveled so slowly that he was not even 
tired. Little Bear asked a few questions, as usual, 
that afternoon when the stories were told, but he did 
not brag. And when Peter Hare winked at him once 
or twice he laughed. 


WHEN MOTHER SKUNK HELPED 
LITTLE BEAR 


Once upon a time Little Bear went for a long walk 
along the river path. He was alone, and so did not 
know that he had gone far from home until Father King- 
fisher saw him and called: 

“ It is time for you to turn round and go back, Little 
Bear! You must remember that it will soon be dark 
in the woods, and you might get lost, for you have no 
wings with which to fly home quickly.” 

Little Bear looked for the sun. Sure enough, it was 
sinking behind the trees and leaving a long, shining 
trail on the river. It was time to go home. 

“Thank you, Father Kingfisher,” answered Little 
Bear. “I was having such a good time that I forgot 
I was far from our little house, but I shall run back 
fast now. So good night!” 

And away he ran. But before he had passed more 
than three bends of the river he saw a man fishing, 
and in the woods near by was a tent, with a bright 
camp fire burning, and beside the camp fire, a man 
cleaning a gun. 

Little Bear was so frightened that he sat down and 


2 


17 



Father Kingfisher saw him 


WHEN MOTHER SKUNK HELPED LITTLE BEAR 19 


cried. Mother Skunk heard him, for she and her six 
children were out hunting beetles for supper. 

“What is the trouble?” she asked. “What is the 
matter, Little Bear?” 

Little Bear told her about the two men, one on either 
side of his path. “And I am afraid to go by them!” 
he wailed. 

“Come, come, child, dry your eyes,” said Mother 
Skunk. “You have always been kind to my children, and 
now I will take care of you. Stop crying and follow me.” 

“But won’t the men catch you?” asked Little Bear. 

“Oh, no,” answered Mother Skunk, “they will not 
touch us. You follow me. Come, children.” 

On walked Mother Skunk, slowly and comfortably, 
with Little Bear and her six pretty children following 
one behind another, as she had told them to do. 

When the man who was fishing saw Mother Skunk 
walking by with her children and Little Bear, he sat still 
as a mouse. All he did was to wink. The man by the 
fire stopped cleaning his gun when he saw Mother Skunk 
walking by with her children and Little Bear, and 
he, too, sat still as a mouse. All he did was to wink. 

“Now, Little Bear,” said Mother Skunk, when they 
had gone a few steps more, “the children and I will 


20 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT AT PLAY 



On walked Mother Skunk 


stay here a while and catch beetles, but you must run 
along home. The men will not trouble you while we 
are in their path, never fear!” 

“I thank you, Mother Skunk!” Little Bear called 
over his shoulder, as he pit-patted for home as fast 
as he could travel. And when he reached home, he 
told what had happened to him and walked up and 
down in front of the fireplace to show Father Bear 
and Mother Bear how Mother Skunk had walked past 
the two big men, as if she were not afraid of anyone 
in the woods. And how the Three Bears laughed! 

But when Mother Bear tucked Little Bear into bed 
that night, she kissed him and said: 

“Let us always be thankful for good, kind friends!” 


WHEN LITTLE BEAR WOULD NOT WORK 

One morning when Little Bear wanted to play, his 
mother sent him out to pull weeds in the blackberry 
patch. When his mother went out to see how he was 
getting on, she found him lying on the ground and 
looking at the sky. 

“ Little Bear,” said his mother, “have you finished your 
weeding?” 

“No, Mother Bear,” was the answer, “it is too hard 
work. I shall pull no more weeds.” 

Never before had Mother Bear heard Little Bear 
speak like that. So she took him by the hand and 
led him into the house, where Father Bear sat in his 
big chair. 

“Father Bear,” she said, “Little Bear will not work.” 
Then behind Little Bear’s back she made motions that 
meant, “But please do not spank him!” 

“Ah-hum! Ah-hum!” began Father Bear, gazing 
hard at Little Bear. “Do I understand that you will 
not pull weeds, Son Bear?” 

“It is too hard work,” explained Little Bear. “I 
am not big enough to pull weeds in the blackberry 
patch.” 


21 



She found him lying on the ground 


WHEN LITTLE BEAR WOULD NOT WORK 23 


“Ah-hum! Ah-hum!” repeated Father Bear, who 
was really too surprised at first for words. Then said 
he, “Son Bear, I ought to spank you and send vou 
out to work, and that is what I should do if your mother 
were willing. But—” 

Father Bear said “But” in such a loud, loud voice 
that Little Bear jumped at the tone. “But little bears 
who will not pull weeds in the blackberry patch shall 
not eat blackberries.” 

So upstairs went Little Bear, followed by his mother, 
who carried a plate of bread and a brown pitcher full 
of water from the spring. Mother Bear said nothing 
when she left Little Bear upstairs with the bread and 
the water, but he did not mind that, because at first 
he thought it was all a joke. 

At dinner time, when he smelled fish frying he felt 
hungry. But his mother did not bring him any fish, 
and his father said nothing. So Little Bear ate bread 
and drank water. 

The afternoon lasted a long, long time. Little Bear 
was asleep when his mother brought him more bread 
and water. 

When he awoke, he again smelled fish frying. He 
felt hungry, but still his mother did not bring him any 


24 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 

fish, and his father said nothing. Then he called his 
mother and his father. 

“What is the trouble with Son Bear?” inquired 
Father Bear, when Mother Bear led the little fellow 
downstairs. 

“I am hungry!” wailed Little Bear. 

“Have you no bread?” asked Father Bear. 

“I cannot eat just bread,” answered Little Bear, 
“not when I smell fish. Besides, I am lonesome. I 
will weed the blackberry patch and the whole garden, 
and I’ll hoe the com, and I’ll work like Sally Beaver, 
if you’ll just let me have fish for my supper, and 
blackberries, and honey, and milk.” 

“Very well, Son Bear,” agreed Father Bear. “You 
shall sit down to supper, and weed the blackberry 
patch before dark.” 

Little Bear passed his plate, and Father Bear filled 
it with trout, and mashed potatoes, and currant jelly. 
Mother Bear passed him the johnnycake, and gave 
him a big dish of blackberries and a brown mug full 
of milk. 

Little Bear was so hungry that he ate two whole 
speckled trout, and five pieces of johnnycake, and three 
heaping dishes of blackberries, and drank two mugfuls 


WHEN LITTLE BEAR WOULD NOT WORK 25 



of milk before he went out and weeded the blackberry 
patch. He was tired when he went to bed that night, 
and on many other nights afterward, but he said 
nothing about it, nor did he ever stop his work in the 
garden until he had done it all as well as he could. For 
he soon found out that when he had worked hard, even 
bread and water tasted good, but that when he had not 
worked, there was no taste in fish, or honey, or milk, 
or in a heaping dish of blackberries. 


HOW LITTLE BEAR LEARNED TO SWIM 

Last summer Little Bear went on a long journey 
with his father and mother. The Three Bears had a 
beautiful time traveling through the big forest until 
they reached the banks of a deep, swift river. Then 
there was trouble, for Little Bear could not swim, nor 
did he wish to learn how to swim. He said he was 
afraid of the water. 

“Father Bear can easily carry me over the river,” he 
suggested. 

“Nonsense!” replied big Father Bear in gruff tones. 
“Nonsense, my son! You are old enough and strong 
enough to learn to swim. I will not carry you across 
the stream. Neither shall your mother.” 

Just then there came Father Otter, swimming like 
a seal, and twisting and turning in the water like a 
fish. 

“Perhaps the good otter will teach Little Bear to 
swim,” Mother Bear said, and then called to him. 

“ It is the easiest thing in the world to teach a little 
bear how to swim,” answered Father Otter. “Just 
throw him in!” And away he went, laughing over his 
shoulder. 


26 



tyyjt 


“ Just throw him in!” said Father Otter 




28 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 


“He must be joking,” observed Mother Bear quickly, 
because she was afraid that Father Bear would^toss 
Little Bear into the river, and she did not like the idea. 

At that moment Mother Otter came swimming 
down the river with her children. One of them climbed 
upon her shoulders and stared solemnly at Little Bear 
on the river bank. 

“Good morning!” said Mother Bear. 

“Good morning!” answered Mother Otter. 

“Your children are fine swimmers,” added Mother 
Bear. 

“Certainly,” answered Mother Otter. “Every one of 
them knows that our people have all been famous 
swimmers for centuries.” 

“I suppose, then,” ventured Mother Bear, “that 
your children were bom swimmers. You probably had 
trouble in keeping them out of the water when they were 
babies.” 

Mother Otter laughed. “The trouble was to get 
them into the water,” she said, “because the silly little 
things were afraid. All young otters are afraid of the 
water and have to be put into it by force.” 

“You do not mean it!” exclaimed Mother Bear, with 
great amazement in her tones. 


HOW LITTLE BEAR LEARNED TO SWIM 29 


“ Indeed I do,” replied Mother Otter. “We had to 
push every one of our children into the water. Does 
Little Bear know how to swim?” 

“No,” answered Mother Bear, shaking her head, “he 
is afraid to try.” 

“Duck him,” advised Mother Otter, “duck him. 
There is no other way to teach a little bear to swim.” 

And away she went, down the stream, intending to 
overtake Father Otter. 

The little Otters kept looking back, hoping to see 
Father Bear toss Little Bear into the river. But Mother 
Bear begged him not to teach Little Bear to swim that 
day, and so the little Otters missed the fun. 

That night the Three Bears camped beside the deep, 
swift river. After Little Bear was cuddled down in his 
bed of leaves and springy boughs, Mother Bear made 
Father Bear promise not to toss Little Bear into the river 
unless Little Bear said he wanted him to. 

The next morning Father Bear was sorry that he had 
made the promise, because an honest-looking polecat 
who came across the stream and went into the woods 
told Father Bear and Mother Bear that the largest, 
sweetest blackberries in the forest were ripe on the other 
shore. 


30 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 

“And now,” whispered Mother Bear to Father Bear, 
“aren't you sorry that you told him that we wouldn't 
carry him over?” 

“Sure enough, I am,” agreed Father Bear. And then 
he laughed at the joke on himself. 

“Well,” suggested Mother Bear at last, “I shall coax 
Little Bear to let you toss him gently into the river, and 
I shall catch him if he finds he cannot swim.” 

“Nonsense!” grumbled Father Bear, and stopped 
laughing. “While you coax,” he said, “I shall go for a 
walk.” 

Coaxing did not do any good. When Little Bear saw 
his father wander away, he told his mother that he 
did not feel like going into the water that morning. He 
hoped she would please excuse him. And so she excused 
him. 

Soon Father Bear came back, smiling and happy. “I 
have found a bridge,” said he. “An old log has fallen 
across the river a little way upstream, where, on the other 
side, blackberries are almost as big as ducks' eggs. 
Little Bear can walk across on the log.” 

. “All right, I 'll do it,” promised Little Bear, and gladly 
followed his father until the Three Bears reached the 
bridge. 



In a little, while he bobbed up 





32 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 


But while Little Bear was skipping joyfully over the 
log, trying to reach the opposite bank before his father 
and mother could swim across, the log turned over and 
sent Little Bear head first into the river. Fortunately, 
he knew enough to keep his mouth shut, and in a little 
while he bobbed up, shaking his head to get the water 
out of his eyes and his ears and paddling like a duck. 
That was all there was to it, because, ever after, Little 
Bear could swim. 

Mother Bear believes to this day that Father Bear 
knew that the log would roll over. She believes it 
because, whenever anyone asks him, he says nothing, 
but just laughs. 


LITTLE BEAR AND THE LOST OTTER BABY 

One morning, while Little Bear was out camping with 
his father and mother, he went into the woods to pick 
daisies and bluebells with which to decorate the entrance 
to their cave. His hands were full of flowers, and he was 
ready to go back with them to his mother, when he 
heard a baby crying. Little Bear stood still and listened. 
Then he knew that the child who was crying was an Otter 
baby. He had heard Otter babies cry before. 

“What is the matter, baby one?” called Little Bear. 
“What are you crying about and where are you? Did 
you bump your nose?” 

“ I am lost ! Come and find me!” answered Baby Otter. 

“You are hiding behind the oak stump!” exclaimed 
Little Bear, as he scrambled through the thicket and 
fairly pounced upon Baby Otter. “I spy!” he shouted. 

“It isn’t a game!” wailed the Otter baby. “I tell 
you I am lost! I don’t know where my mother went 
and I can’t find my father! I want to go home. Oh, 
boo-hoo-hoo!” 

“There, there, don’t cry!” said Little Bear. “Tell 
me where your camp is, and I will take you home just as 
fast as we can go.” 


3 


33 


34 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 

“But we do not live here!” complained the lost baby. 
“Our home is Brookside, a long way off across country, 
and we are only camping out, and I do not know where 
our camp is! Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo!” 

“Come, come, cheer up!” said Little Bear, using the 
very words his father often used when speaking to him. 
“ I tell you I will take you home, and if it is too far away 
I ’ll ask my father to go. We are camping out, ourselves, 
down the river a little way. Now tell me how you 
happened to get lost.” 

So the Otter baby told him that the Otter family had 
gone out together after breakfast that morning, and that 
while they were laughing and chatting Baby Otter had 
strayed away from the path to pick flowers. The next 
thing that he knew he had been alone, and, not knowing 
what else to do, he had sat down and cried. 

“Well, wipe your eyes now, and give me your paw!” 
said Little Bear in big, grown-up tones. “My father 
showed me your camp only yesterday, and, if you are 
one of the campers, you live only a little way from here 
and I can take you home.” 

Of course Baby Otter wiped his eyes and walked 
happily behind Little Bear. He wished to travel in 
single file, Otter fashion. 


LITTLE BEAR AND THE LOST OTTER BABY 35 



Baby Otter walked happily behind Little Bear 


It happened that Father Bear had been teaching Little 
Bear how to follow the woods trails, and Little Bear knew 
the Otters’ path, because they always went round stumps 
and under logs; besides, their legs were short and their 
bodies so heavy they left well-worn trails behind them. 

At last Little Bear reached the end of the crooked 
path, and Baby Otter, without so much as saying “ Thank 
you!” to Little Bear, ran to the cave by the river bank 
where his family was camping out. 


36 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 


“Some people always forget their manners,” said Little 
Bear to himself, as he ran home to tell his father and 
mother what he had done. 

“I am glad you were good to the baby,” said Little 
Bear’s mother, as she took the bluebells and daisies that 
he had brought and put them into a hollow stump beside 
the cave door. She had filled the stump with water from 
the spring while Little Bear was gone. 

“The flowers are lovely!” said Mother Bear. “Now 
please run into the woods for some green leaves and vines 
to put with them, Little Bear.” 

Before he could do as she told him, Uncle John King- 
fisher came flying to invite the Three Bears to a party. 
“The Otters,” said he, “request your presence at a fish 
dinner. Come now.” 

“We thank you, Uncle John Kingfisher,” said Father 
Bear. “We will start at once. Come, Little Bear, wash 
your hands and face and get ready.” 

That is how it came about that the Three Bears dined 
with the Otters that day, on trout, salmon, and eels, and 
were served with only one bite from each fish, and that 
bite taken from the meat just behind the head. Mother 
Bear thought that the Otters chose only one dainty morsel 
from each fish just because they had invited company 


LITTLE BEAR AND THE LOST OTTER BABY 37 


for dinner. But Father Bear told her afterward that she 
was mistaken; Otters always serve fish in that way when 
fish are plentiful. 

After dinner the Otters and their guests rested for a 
while, and then Father Otter urged the children to come 
out and play with him and with Mother Otter. Much 
surprised, the Three Bears followed the Otters to their 
playground. And the next Father Bear and Mother 
Bear knew, Little Bear was sliding down the Otters' 
toboggan slide and shouting with glee. All the Otters 
went down that slide, one behind the other, and landed 
splashety-splash! in the river below. 

It was a wonderful sight to see the Otters swimming 
about in the stream, because they are beautiful swim- 
mers. But what Father and Mother Bear liked best 
was the picture of Little Bear running up the roundabout 
path to the top of the bank and going down the slide 
three times as fast as the Otter children and their 
parents. The Otters were more at home in the water than 
Little Bear was, but they could not run on land as he 
could. 

Their next game they played with sticks. One Otter 
took the end of a stick in his mouth and another Otter 
took the other end, and then they pulled and pulled to 



Little Bear was sliding down the Otters' toboggan slide 


LITTLE BEAR AND THE LOST OTTER BABY 39 


see which was the stronger. Little Bear did not like 
that game so well as he did the toboggan slide. 

“We have had a delightful time at your party,” said 
Mother Bear to Mother Otter, at last, “and we thank 
you for inviting us over. If you ever wander into our 
home woods, come to our little house and have porridge 
with us.” 

“We shall be glad to do so,” said Mother Otter, “and 
we shall always think kindly of Little Bear because he 
brought our baby home when he was lost. If we do go 
to visit you, you must let us make Little Bear a toboggan 
slide.” 

“Ask them to come as soon as we get home!” urged 
Little Bear in a whisper to his mother so loud that the 
Otter children heard it, and laughed. 

And that night Little Bear dreamed of taking home a 
baby otter and of being invited to slide down that baby 
otter's toboggan slide all the afternoon. 


WHEN LITTLE BEAR VISITED SCHOOL 


Once in midsummer when wild roses were blooming 
along the river bank behind the Three Bears’ house in 
the forest and wild birds were singing from every thicket, 
Father Bear built a raft and took his family floating 
downstream. The raft was made of logs firmly fastened 
together. It was big and strong, and had three rustic 
chairs on it — a big, big chair for the big Father Bear, 
a middle-sized chair for middle-sized Mother Bear, and 
a wee, wee chair for wee Little Bear. There were also 
poles to keep the raft from bumping against the river 
bank: a rather heavy pole made just for huge Father 
Bear, a middle-sized pole for middle-sized Mother Bear, 
and a long, light pole for Little Bear. 

Soon they were far from home, but it was afternoon 
before anything special happened. There was a bend in 
the river, and when the raft came swishing and tumbling 
round that bend the Three Bears saw a little log house 
on a hillside and many children playing outside the 
door. 

At that very moment, bump! went the raft into 
the bank, and there it stuck among the willows! 

“Oh, please do not push the raft into the stream 


40 


WHEN LITTLE BEAR VISITED SCHOOL 


41 



Father Bear took his family floating downstream 


for a few minutes !” whispered Little Bear. “Let us 
watch the children !” 

“Yes, let us watch the children/' added Mother Bear. 

So Father Bear, being willing to please his family, 
seated himself in his huge chair, and Mother Bear 
seated herself in her middle-sized chair. But Little 
Bear stood on his tippytoes in his little chair, so that 
he could see better. 

“Oh, I wish those children would let me play with 
them!" cried Little Bear, as the youngsters joined 
hands and danced round and round in a circle. 


42 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 

Plainly, the log building was a schoolhouse, for a 
moment later out stepped the schoolmaster and began 
to ring a bell. 

The children straightway formed in line, boys first, 
girls behind. Then they all marched into the school- 
room, saying, “Left foot, right foot, left foot, right 
foot,” and their feet made a merry stamping. 

After the children were all in the schoolhouse and 
the door was closed, a song came floating through the 
open windows. 

When the singing was over, and the only sounds 
that the bears heard were the song of birds, the lapping 
of the water, and the humming of bees, Little Bear 
said to his father and mother, “ I see a little path lead- 
ing from the river to the schoolhouse, and I see bushes 
beside one of the windows. If I will go softly, softly, 
and climb softly, softly into the bushes, may I go and 
peep into the schoolhouse and see the children ?” 

“Oh, I do not know about that!” began Mother Bear. 

But Father Bear said, “Oh, let him go! Only, Son 
Bear,” he added, “if one of the children should happen 
to see you, and should say ‘Bear/ you run straight 
down to the raft, and we shall be ready to push into 
the stream and get away!” 



Little Bear 


crept softly up the path 




44 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 

So Little Bear crept softly up the path on the hillside, 
climbed softly into the bushes, and peeped into the 
schoolroom. All the children were in their seats with 
their heads bent over books and slates. Then the 
teacher said sternly, “Primer class! Come forward!” 

Two little girls and one little boy, with blue-covered 
books in their hands, went to a spot in front of the 
teacher’s desk and stood with their toes on a crack in 
the floor. The little girls edged away from the boy 
as far as they could while the master looked at them. 
Little Bear was so much interested that he climbed 
closer to the window. 

“Open your books,” said the schoolmaster. 

The three opened their blue-covered books. 

“Joan, you may read the lesson first, if you please.” 

So Joan read, “I — see — a — cat.” 

“Good!” said the master. “Mary, you may read.’’ 

“ I —see— a — cat,” read Mary. She knew every word 
of that lesson. 

“Now, Simon,” spoke the master to the boy, “let 
us hear you read.” 

Little Bear was sure that Simon did not know his 
lesson. He was sure of it because Simon acted so 
foolish and looked so unhappy. He stood on one foot 


WHEN LITTLE BEAR VISITED SCHOOL 


45 



Little Bear leaned forward until his paws rested on the window sill 


and then on the other and twisted and squirmed until 
the girls giggled. 

“Come, Simon,” urged the master, “we are waiting.” 

It happened that Little Bear felt so sorry for Simon 
that he forgot all about himself, and leaned forward 
until his paws rested on the window sill. No one noticed 
him then, because bushes clustered close round that 
window and he had made no sound. 


46 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 

“Simon,” the master commanded at last, “read the 
lesson!” 

“I — see,” began Simon, “I — see — a — ” Then he 
looked up, but instead of saying “cat,” as the primer 
said, Simon, with eyes as large and round as saucers, 
dropped his book and cried, “Bear! I see a bear!” 

Sure enough, he did. So did all the children. So 
did the master, because Little Bear was right up in 
the window, trying to tell Simon the word “cat”! 

Down the hill ran Little Bear as fast as he could go, 
and scrambled on board the raft. Father Bear and 
Mother Bear used their poles and quickly pushed the 
raft into the middle of the stream, and away went 
all three of them, laughing. But Little Bear did not 
wish to visit school again that day — or that summer. 


LITTLE BEAR GETS HIS WISH 

One morning, when the Three Bears were floating 
downstream on their raft, they saw a farmhouse in the 
distance. 

“Perhaps we shall never be so near a farmhouse 
again,” said Mother Bear to Father Bear, “so I think 
we should buy some eggs of the farmer’s wife.” 

“Do be sensible!” exclaimed Father Bear. “Remem- 
ber that we have no money and that farmers do not 
love bears.” 

“That does not matter,” said Mother Bear gently. 
“To-night, when we build our camp fire for the evening, 
we must have hens’ eggs to roast for supper, and how can 
we have hens’ eggs unless we buy them at the farmhouse?” 

Father Bear made no answer, but pushed the raft 
against the bank and tied it to the willows with a rope 
of wild grapevine. He knew that Mother Bear would 
have her way, so he wasted no time trying to argue 
about the matter. “Now, then!” was all Father Bear 
said after that, as he sat in his huge chair and folded 
his arms to watch the fun. 

“‘Now, then,’ is what I say, too,” added Mother 
Bear, laughing. “Honey Cub,” she said to Little 

47 


48 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 


Bear, who was wondering what would happen next, 
“jump off the raft and bring me many long, slim leaves 
of the cat-tails growing over there, and I will weave 
two baskets, one for the money, one for the eggs.” 

Little Bear hastened to obey. But when he returned 
with his arms full of cat-tail leaves, he said, “Mother 
Bear, I have made a wish. Please let us have the eggs 
for dinner, and let us have them scrambled. Father 
Bear and I like scrambled eggs better,” and Little 
Bear winked at Father Bear and Father Bear winked 
back. 

“We shall not make camp at noon so near a farm- 
house,” answered Mother Bear, “and the eggs shall 
be roasted. Now run along after some long grasses, 
Honey Cub, for me to weave into the baskets with 
the cat-tails.” 

Little Bear obeyed his mother, but he neither danced 
nor sang as he gathered the grasses. “Noon is the 
time for dinner,” he told a big green frog, “and I wish 
for scrambled eggs at noon.” 

“Ker-plunk!” said the frog. 

Quickly Mother Bear made two pretty green baskets. 
“One is for wild strawberries,” she explained. “We 
will fill it to the brim and leave it for the farmer's wife, 


LITTLE BEAR GETS HIS WISH 49 



instead of money. She will find it in a nest when she 
goes to gather the eggs.” 

“I’ll gladly pick the berries,” said Little Bear, “and 
I ’ll go with you to find a hen’s nest that has eggs in it 
to scramble.” 

“You will stay with your father while I go for the 
eggs,” answered his mother. 

So after Little Bear had filled one green basket with 
delicious wild strawberries, he stayed with his father 
while Mother Bear went for the eggs. 


4 


50 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 

“Noon is the time for dinner,” Little Bear said in 
grumbling tones, “and roasted eggs are not so good 
as scrambled.” 

“Son Bear,” answered Father Bear sternly, “Mother 
Bear is always right!” 

Soon back came Mother Bear, walking fast. And 
when Little Bear saw the eggs in her green basket, 
he was so much pleased that he forgot to be cross, 
although he did not forget his wish. While Father 
Bear untied the grapevine rope, Little Bear helped 
Mother Bear to cover the eggs with big green leaves, 
to keep them cool. He danced and sang as he worked. 

“And now we are off for a morning’s good fishing!” 
exclaimed Father Bear, as he pushed the raft into the 
middle of the stream and passed a wee fish pole to 
Little Bear, a middle-sized fish pole to Mother Bear, 
and straightway began fishing himself with his own 
huge pole and line. 

The Three Bears fished all the morning and caught 
nothing. At noon, without warning, there was a great 
splashing in the river, and Father Bear exclaimed, 
“I have a bite!” 

Well, he pulled, and pulled, and pulled, and could 
not land his fish. There was great excitement on 



52 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 



Back fell Father Bear 


the raft, until suddenly Father Bear almost caught the 
fish. Up came the line, up bobbed the fish — a 
huge fish, almost the biggest fish Father Bear had 
ever caught. But back fell Father Bear, and bumped 
into Mother Bear, and she bumped into Little Bear, 
and he sat down in the basket of eggs, because the three 
were standing one behind another. Then the fish 


LITTLE BEAR GETS HIS WISH 


53 


flopped back, splash! into the water — and the Three 
Bears were hungry! 

“Something has happened to the eggs!” exclaimed 
Little Bear. “I am afraid they are all squashed.” 

Sure enough! When Mother Bear took the leaves 
off the basket of eggs, what a sight she beheld! Every 
shell was broken. Then said Father Bear, laughing: 
“Roasted eggs are not so good as scrambled, and noon 
is the time for dinner! Mother Bear, let us go ashore 
and make camp. We have come a long way from 
the farmhouse.” 

“Father Bear is always right,” said Mother Bear, 
as she emptied the broken eggs into the frying pan 
and began picking out pieces of the shells and tossing 
them into the water. 

That is how it came about that the Three Bears 
built a camp fire at noon and dined on scrambled eggs. 
They had a jolly time eating dinner in the woods and 
talking about what a huge fish it was that Father Bear 
had almost pulled out of the stream in the morning. 

But after dinner Little Bear laughed and sang: 

“I had my wish! 

Because Daddy lost his fish! 

Ta-de-dum, 


54 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 


Ta-de-dum, 

Ta-de-dum-dum-dum ! ” 

until at last the three bears joined hands and danced 
round the camp fire singing together: 

“Little Bear had his wish 
When Father Bear lost his fish! 

Ta-de-dum, 

Ta-de-dum, 

T a-de-dum-dum-dum ! ” 


THREE BEARS COME TO BREAKFAST 

From the day when the Three Bears discovered the 
Enchanted Land where bears may walk without fear of 
harm, and may safely poke their noses into any man's 
tent if they choose, from that day, Little Bear teased to 
go back. 

“Then let us be off," exclaimed Father Bear at last. 
“Let us be off on a holiday journey, Mother Bear. 
Come, son, close the door of our little house and away 
we go!” 

And away they went. Little Bear was so happy when 
the three jolly companions finally reached the Enchanted 
Land that he went to bed at sunset so that he might 
be up early in the morning to explore a country where 
rocks were painted in all colors of the rainbow, where 
springs of hot water bubbled through the earth, and 
where crystal-clear waterfalls filled his little heart with 
wonder. 

Sure enough, Little Bear awoke in the early dawn, gave 
his father a friendly poke in the side, gave his mother's 
nose a friendly tweak, and thus merrily the day began. 

“Let us take a walk before breakfast,” suggested 
Little Bear. 


55 


56 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 



“Very well,” agreed Father Bear, “and let us catch 
fish for breakfast in a mountain stream!” 

“And we shall cook the fish in the first hot spring along 
the way,” added Mother Bear. 

On through the glorious dawn went the Three Bears, 
crooning an old song and joyfully sniffing the air, when 
suddenly they came upon a sleeping camp, where the 
tents of the campers formed a big circle. In the center 
of the circle were the ashes of a campfire, and not far 
away was a cookstove standing near a covered wagon. 

On that stove was a kettle. Over to that kettle 
pranced Little Bear. He lifted the cover and peeped in. 


THREE BEARS COME TO BREAKFAST 


57 


The kettle was full of something Little Bear had never 
seen before. Over walked Father Bear, over walked 
Mother Bear. They peeped in the kettle and shook their 
heads. 

“It is something the cook forgot to put away!” 
remarked Father Bear in pompous tones. 

“You may taste of it if you wish, Son Bear,” said his 
mother. 

Into the kettle went Little Bear's paw, and out it 
came filled with soft, brown, juicy fruit. He ate it, and 
it was good — so good he ate more and more. Father 
Bear ate the fruit, Mother Bear ate the fruit. 

“ What is it? ” they said one to another. But although 
they could not answer the question, they liked that fruit 
so well they ate and ate until they ate it all up. They 
even forgot their manners and smacked their lips. 

Suddenly there was a noise in one of the tents, and out 
popped the cook's wife, calling, “Oh, the bears are eating 
our prunes ! Oh, the bears are eating our prunes ! Shoo ! 
Shoo ! Shoo ! They were eating our prunes ! ' ' 

“So we were eating prunes!” exclaimed Mother Bear, 
as away went the Three Bears, laughing. 

“And prunes are good!” piped up Little Bear, in his 
shrill, shrill voice. 


58 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 

But Daddy Bear pranced through the forest singing: 
"Oh, let us sing some new, new tunes! 

All about her prunes, prunes, prunes !” 

And "Prunes, prunes, prunes,” the Three Bears sang 
all that merry day. "Prunes, prunes, prunes, prunes 
we had for breakfast!” 


LITTLE BEAR'S PROMISE 

Little Bear had never heard of the Pied Piper of 
Hamelin who rid the town of rats, and then, when he 
went back for his promised pay, was only laughed at, 
so that he piped away all the children of Hamelin town 
and never piped them back again. Mother Bear had 
never told Little Bear that story. However, she had 
taught her child to keep his promises, which was very 
fortunate, because one day the Pied Piper appeared 
when Little Bear was alone in the sunbright clearing 
which was his favorite playground. 

It happened that day that Little Bear found his play- 
ground full of caterpillars, and he did not like cater- 
pillars. They were everywhere — on the ground, on the 
grass, on flowers, on the trees, humping along and 
humping along, eating green leaves. 

“Oh, you old humpty-humps,” exclaimed Little Bear, 
“I wish you would go away!" 

But the caterpillars would not go away. They even 
began crawling over Little Bear. He shook them off 
and was about to run away when along came that man, 
tall and thin, with a sharp chin and a mouth where the 
smiles went out and in, and two blue eyes each like a pin. 


59 


60 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 


And he was dressed half in red and half in yellow, and 
as we have often been told, he really was the strangest 
fellow. Around his neck he wore a red and yellow ribbon, 
and on it was hung something like a flute, and his fingers 
went straying up and down it as if he wished to be 
playing. 

“I understand that you do not like caterpillars,” 
said this queer fellow to Little Bear. “Men call me the 
Pied Piper,” he went on when he saw that Little Bear was 
too surprised to speak. “And I know a way to draw 
after me everything that walks or flies or swims! What 
will you give me if I rid your playground of caterpillars? ” 

“I shall give you my porridge bowl,” answered Little 
Bear, “if you can take away these caterpillars.” 

Little Bear afterward told his father and mother that 
he did not believe that the Pied Piper could do it. 

Straightway the Pied Piper put the long pipe to his 
lips and began to play a tune — a strange, high little tune. 
And before the pipe had uttered three shrill notes the 
caterpillars humped after the Piper — thin ones, plump 
ones, skinny ones, woolly ones, striped ones, plain ones, 
great caterpillars, small caterpillars, lean ones, brawny 
ones, brown caterpillars, black caterpillars, gray ones, 
tawny ones, they all followed the Piper for their lives 


LITTLE DEAR’S PROMISE 


61 


until they came to the edge of the river. Then the 
Piper suddenly stepped aside and down they tumbled 
and — were —drowned ! 

Only one too-plump caterpillar came humping slowly 
back to the playground, making great lamentation. 

“What is the matter with you?” asked Little Bear, 
who had laughed until he was obliged to wipe away tears 
with the back of his paw at the sight of so many cater- 
pillars following the Pied Piper. 

“Oh me, oh my!” wailed the mournful caterpillar. 
“He said we should sleep in cradles of silk and wake up 
with wings of purple! It has been the dream of my life 
to be a butterfly with wings of gold and purple!” 

“Cheer up,” comforted Little Bear, “you just spin 
yourself a cocoon caterpillar fashion and go to sleep, 
and you will surely find yourself turned into a butterfly 
when you wake up! Mother said so! Now there! Why 
didn’t I remember that caterpillars turn into butterflies, 
before I promised to give away my porridge bowl! I 
should like to have my playground full of butterflies! I 
wish I had thought of that! Now those poor old cater- 
pillars are gone and I promised to give away my bowl! 
Maybe the Pied Piper will not come back!” 

But he did. “I should like my bowl!” said he. 



“Oh, you old humpty-humps” 



LITTLE BEAR’S PROMISE 


63 


“I know that a promise is a promise/' agreed Little 
Bear promptly and sorrowfully. “You wait here until 
I run home after it and I shall give you my little bowl!" 

And he did. As the Piper took the bowl and turned 
away, Father and Mother Bear came into the clearing. 

“What are you doing with Little Bear's bowl?" they 
demanded, and would have followed the Pied Piper, but 
he put the pipe to his lips and began to play a little tune 
— a soft little tune, sweet and strange. And the music 
made Father Bear and Mother Bear stand still as if their 
feet had been tied to the ground. 

“Oh, Little Bear!" they cried in terror. “It is the 
Pied Piper! Oh, Little Bear, do not follow him!" 

“Indeed I could not if I wished to do so," answered 
Little Bear, “because my feet will not go! The music 
has made me stand still too, and I hear voices singing, 
‘Stay home with your father! Stay home with your 
mother! Stay home, Little Bear!' " 

As the music grew faint in the distance, the Three 
Bears were once more able to walk about, and then Little 
Bear explained that he had promised to give his bowl to 
the Pied Piper if he would take away the caterpillars, 
and that he had kept the promise, sad as he felt about 
losing his treasure. 


64 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 


“Come,” said Mother Bear, “I believe we better go 
home now before we meet any more strangers!” 

When the Three Bears reached home, there was 
Little Bear’s bowl on the doorstep, and the Pied Piper’s 
pipe was heard playing softly far away. 

After Father Bear told Little Bear the story of Hamelin 
town he was more glad than ever that he had kept his 
promise. So was his mother. So was his father. 



There was Little Bear's bowl on the doorstep 



LITTLE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY 

Little Bear did not like to hear any talk about Sleepy 
Cave, which was the name of the Three Bears’ winter 
home, the year Jack Frost came late. There were three 
beds in Sleepy Cave, ready and waiting for the Three 
Bears — a big, big bed of boughs and moss for huge 
Father Bear, a middle-sized bed of fir boughs and moss 
for middle-sized Mother Bear, and a deep, deep bed 
of feathery moss for Little Bear. 

There were also feathery moss blankets taken from 
fallen logs in the forest — one for huge Father Bear, one 
for Mother Bear, and the softest, warmest moss blanket 
of all for Little Bear. 

Sleepy Cave was big and warm and dry. There was 
no chance for snow to drift in the doorway because it 
was sheltered by a broad overhanging rock, and its back 
was toward the wind. There was blackberry jam put 
away in that cave, and combs of honey and other good 
things to eat in case the family should wake up and feel 
hungry before spring. 

But Little Bear did not like to hear a word about Sleepy 
Cave. It was the same old story with him, beginning, 
“I don’t want to sleep all winter! Mrs. Maria Wildcat, 


5 


65 


66 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 

she said, ‘Young cub, you won't be anything but a Baby 
Bear, eating porridge out of a little bowl, and sitting in a 
wee, wee chair, and sleeping in a wee, wee bed, for another 
hundred years if you lie around and sleep all winter! 
You’ll never grow up!’ She always says that! And 
Mr. Bob Wildcat, he said — ” 

“There, there,” Mother Bear interrupted, “don’t let 
me hear another word about Maria Wildcat or any of 
the Wildcat family! I think I said this to you once 
before!” 

“But I don’t want to sleep all winter,” wailed Little 
Bear. “I want to stay in our own little house in the 
woods and see the snow in the evergreens. I’d love to 
play in the snow and go sliding on the ice. I want to 
stay here and eat porridge out of my little bowl and sit 
in my little chair and sleep in my little bed! Father 
Deer’s children do not sleep all winter. They make 
tracks in the snow, and they lie down to rest in the ever- 
greens and watch for their enemies in the middle of the 
day! Father Deer told me about it all over again! I 
want to stay here and play all winter like other folks! 
Sally Beaver’s mother, she said — ” 

“Hush,” advised Mother Bear, “you have said 
enough!” 


LITTLE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY 


67 


Mother Bear spoke severely, but a moment later when 
the little fellow went out and sat on the doorstep to think, 
she said to Father Bear, “Suppose we have a surprise 
party for Little Bear?” 

“A good idea!” agreed Father Bear. “But there is 



snow in the air, and if there is to be a party it had better 
be this afternoon. Whom do you wish to invite?” 

Mother Bear smiled as she answered, “Let us invite 
the children of our hibernating friends. I think that will 


68 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 

be pleasanter. We'll invite Auntie Cinnamon’s children, 
and Uncle Brown Bear’s family, and the Porcupine 
twins, and the Field Mice children, and the young Musk- 
rats. If you will do the inviting, I will make blackberry 
jam and honey cakes and get the house in order!” 

Little Bear didn’t even ask a question as Father Bear 
started out, looking rather proud of his new fur over- 
coat. 

In the afternoon, as Father Bear and Mother Bear 
were happily waiting for Little Bear’s company, there 
came a knock at the door, followed by the entrance of 
Auntie Cinnamon. 

“I came to say,” said she, “that my children cannot 
come to the party because they have gone to sleep for 
the winter. No, I cannot stay, I thank you, but I am 
glad to stop in a minute to say good night until spring.” 

“Sleepy heads!” exclaimed Little Bear when Auntie 
Cinnamon had gone on her way. 

Next came Uncle Brown Bear. He was so plump he 
was out of breath from walking fast and had to rest a 
minute before he could say, “Our children are all asleep 
and cannot come to the party, but Auntie Brown sent 
me over to say we thank you, and good night until 
spring!” And away he went. 


I 



“/ came to say that my children cannot come to the party," said Aunty 

Cinnamon 


70 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 

“The sleepy heads!” exclaimed Little Bear again, and 
how he laughed. “But where is the party, Mother 
Bear, and am I invited?” 

Just then came another knock at the door, and Mother 
Porcupine walked in to say that the twins were tucked 
away in bed for the winter and so could not come to 
Little Bear’s surprise party. 

Little Bear was so delighted when he learned he was 
to have a surprise party that he wasn’t disappointed 
when the laughing Blue Jay came with a message from 
the Field Mouse mother saying that the Field Mice 
children just couldn’t keep their eyes open, they were 
so sleepy, and so of course they could not come to the 
party. 

“I’ll sit by the window and see who does come,” 
said Little Bear, happy as he could be thinking of the 
party. 

Now it happened that no one else had been invited 
to the party, so Mother Bear took Little Bear to the 
cupboard to show him the blackberry sandwiches and 
honey cakes, while Father Bear stepped out to ask the 
Blue Jay to please fly quickly away and invite the wildcat 
children and the young squirrels and chipmunks and 
foxes to come immediately to. the party. 


* 



They found Little Bear sound asleep 







72 LITTLE BEAR AT WORK AND AT PLAY 

The Blue Jay flew to do this joyful errand, and soon 
came dozens of chattering, noisy wild wood children to 
the party. 

But when they reached the house they found Little 
Bear sound asleep with a contented smile on his face, 
dreaming of the party! The merry children could not 
awaken him, although they tried their best because they 
wished to share with him the blackberry jam and honey 
cakes. 

Late that afternoon when the party was over and the 
frolicking children had gone, Father Bear took Little 
Bear in his arms, and Mother Bear closed the house. 
Then away went the Three Bears to Sleepy Cave. 

When Little Bear was snugly tucked in his feathery 
moss bed, Mother Bear kissed him and said, “I am so 
glad the little fellow was happy when he went to sleep !” 

And that very night it snowed, and snowed — and 
snowed ! 


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